By Royal Appointments

In London, Penny Lewis plays Queen for a day.

Like many people, I’m a fan of any period costume drama, including those about Queen Victoria. Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria? Saw it. Jenna Coleman’s Victoria? Hallelujah! Dame Judi Dench playing senior citizen Victoria in a couple of movies? Tick, tick.

This year there’s a special anniversary – it’s 200 years since the birth of the real Queen Victoria and her beloved consort Prince Albert. Victoria was born at Kensington Palace on May 24, 1819, three months ahead of Albert’s birth on August 26 in Bavaria. To mark these milestones, Kensington and Buckingham palaces are both holding exhibitions, giving me the perfect excuse to fulfil a long-held dream to visit the famous palaces.

On a rainy summer morning, I set off from my Kensington hotel for my royal appointments – I’m due at Kensington Palace at 10 am and across Hyde Park at Buckingham Palace at 2 pm, so time is of the essence.